Shoftim 21:04 · unit 1

TT #361 · Parashas Shoftim · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 21:04

The Complete Passuk

וְהוֹרִ֡דוּ זִקְנֵי֩ הָעִ֨יר הַהִ֤וא אֶת־הָעֶגְלָה֙ אֶל־נַ֣חַל אֵיתָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יֵעָבֵ֥ד בּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֣א יִזָּרֵ֑עַ וְעָֽרְפוּ־שָׁם֙ אֶת־הָ֣עֶגְלָ֔ה בַּנָּ֖חַל׃

And the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a hard valley that has not been worked and has not been sown, and they shall break the neck of the heifer there in the valley.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sotah 46a–b.

TT lemma: אֶל נַחַל אֵיתָן.

Sefaria — Sotah 46a–b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אֶל נַחַל אֵיתָן – קָשֶׁה.

English: ‘To a hard valley’ – a rough, hard place.

On the daf / in context: The valley must be of a specific character.

Type of Learning

Derash defining nachal eitan (Bavli) — the place is hard and uncultivated.

What Is Learned

The heifer is brought down to a hard, unworked valley for the breaking of the neck.